


"Cryin' Christmas Tears"

by hayj



Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: F/M, Indy Adeline Monroe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 18:40:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5551136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayj/pseuds/hayj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Day Three:  Blackout Verse</p><p>The Monroe Republic is at the zenith of its power, but the secret is out: President Sebastian Monroe has an Achilles heel.  Who is it? Who plans to take advantage of it?  And will the Republic still stand afterwards?</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Cryin' Christmas Tears"

     Something feels out-of-place when Bass steps off the train and takes a good hard look at his city. Granted the weather is miserable, it’s bitter cold and snowing, but it’s more than that. It’s as if a permanent gloom has fallen over the city and it’s inhabitants. An icy finger trails it’s way down Bass’ spine, a warning of impending doom.  

 

When a covered conveyance arrives, he and Jeremy gladly climb in, settling a bag of wrapped gifts in the floor at their feet. He used his free time in Georgia wisely, Christmas shopping for his family, and wants nothing more than to be with them again. It’s been a long few weeks and he’s anxious to be home, saying as much to Jeremy who nods in agreement.

 

It’s only been a few months since they had let the fact that Charlie had given birth to his daughter three years ago become common knowledge. At the time, no one had questioned General Matheson’s nephew and pregnant niece moving into their home and thought even less of occasionally glimpsing the President happily babysitting or accompanying the single mother and her daughter to the park near the Hall.

 

When they discover that Charlie is pregnant with their second child, she finally accepts his long-standing proposal. There had been a few death threats since the announcement but Miles, Jeremy, and Bass felt that nothing was so serious as to cancel the trade conference that he was due to attend in Georgia, meeting with Kelly and representatives from Texas and California.

 

The Monroe Republic has coal, lots of it, and depends upon trade with the other nations to get supplies for their citizens. Charlie had insisted that he attend and had seen him off at the train station, promising to have everything ready for a Christmas wedding.

 

As they climb out of the carriage, he shares a concerned look with Jeremy who’s just as confused as he is.

 

Independence Hall looks more like a prison yard than a home and capital. The Hall itself is dark, lit only by triple the amount of torches surrounding the perimeter, along with extra troops, while the living quarters are ablaze with light.

 

“What’s going on?” Bass demands from the solider who’s still holding open the carriage door.

 

“Captain Neville is waiting for you in your residence, Sir. He said that he would explain everything.”

 

“Where’s General Matheson?” Bass shouts as they walk into the wind and blowing snow.

 

“He’s out of the city on a classified mission, Sir!”

 

Bass throws a look at Jeremy and they’re nearly jogging by the time they reach the double doors of their brick, three-story home.

 

The Neville’s, who are in the living room, come to attention when Bass and Jeremy blow into the front foyer, while Danny remains slumped over in a chair, a glass of spirits hanging heavily from his fingertips. His hair is a wild mess and his red rimmed eyes seem to sink into bruised skin.

 

“Report, Captain,” Bass all but growls, pulling his winter gear off, handing it to the maid waiting patiently nearby as they drip all over her clean floors.

 

“There’s been an incident, Mr. President,” Tom says, ushering them into the room, closing the doors behind them.

 

A few moments later, the sound of breaking glass is heard, before the door flies open and the clearly distraught President comes barreling out of the room taking the stairs two at a time. He skids to a stop at the doorway to his bedroom, where Julia Neville sits reading in a wing backed chair near the window as Charlie sleeps fitfully in the bed.

 

Looking up, Julia is startled by his appearance but quietly gets to her feet and meets him at the door, stepping out into the hall. “The doctor has her on complete bed rest and is giving her an herbal tea to keep her calm so that she can sleep.”

 

“Thank you, Julia.” Bass manages to rasp out, his eyes never leaving Charlie’s face.

 

She reaches out to pat his arm. “I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”

 

Nodding absently, Bass closes the door as he unbuttons his jacket, laying it at the end of the bed. He takes a seat near Charlie's hip, his hand reaching beneath the comforter to caress her expanding waistline. Her hand slips down to cover his as she sighs his name in her sleep.

 

He calls her name lowly, barely above a whisper as he reaches up to stroke her cheek. He watches as her eyes flutter open and are instantly awash in tears at the sight of him. Reaching for him, she grasps on as he helps her sit up, wrapping her in his arms as she sobs against his neck.

 

“She’s gone, Bass. Our baby girl is gone!”

 

Knowing that Miles has gone after her is of little comfort, but Bass does his best.

 

“Miles will bring her home, Charlie, We have to believe that.” He says trying to make himself believe it as well.

 

“She doesn’t have her coat, or her blanket with the lovey and she dropped Mutt,” Charlie wails as she picks up a well-loved stuffed animal that is three-year old Indy’s constant companion. The little girl is never seen without it. Pulling her to him, Bass rocks the mother of his children, praying to anyone who’ll listen that his daughter is safely returned.

 

When she’s finally cried herself to sleep, Bass lays her down, tucking her in as he brushes away the hair that’s dried stiff to her face.

 

Picking up the stuffed animal, he tucks it under her arm.

 

He plies Tom for what little information he has, keeping an eye on the younger Matheson as he does so. Jeremy notices and attaches himself to the boy’s side.

 

No one knows for a fact who kidnapped the child, only that they had taken the child from her bed as she napped, two days ago.

 

Miles was notified immediately, racing home only to leave again hours later after receiving a ransom note, leaving a distraught Charlie at home with her brother and the Neville’s.

 

The morning after his return, Bass lures Charlie out of bed with the Docs permission, dragging her and Danny off to the countryside to pick out Christmas trees for their home and the hall. “What would Indy think if she came home to no tree or gifts?” He asks Charlie as she grips his hand tightly.

 

He watches as she pulls herself together and goes into a decorating frenzy the likes of which would have made Martha Stewart’s head spin.

 

She also orders Danny to bathe and sober up. “If I can’t drink my way through this neither is anybody else!” she screams at him in the living room as her hand cradles her unborn child, nestled snuggly in her womb.  

Danny looks at her wide-eyed, his mouth opening and closing before slamming the glass down in his hand, storming out of the room.

 

“That boy knows something, Boss. I know guilty and he stinks of it.” Jeremy hisses near Bass’ ear.

*******

By mutual agreement, they marry on Christmas Eve, instead of Christmas Day. Danny gives her away instead of Miles and instead of a festive party for the entire city, it’s a quiet dinner with Jeremy and the Neville’s.

 

When Bass takes her to bed, he moves slowly and tenderly, whispering his love into her ear. Afterwards, they lay sleepy and sated in each other's arms and it’s late when they finally drift off to whispered hopes and dreams.

 

It’s early when the door to their room opens and Charlie screams at the tall shadowed figure standing in her doorway.

 

“Mama?” she hears a tiny voice call as Bass puts flint to steel, the light of the lamp revealing a bundled up Miles with a tiny curly head peeking out the top of his zippered coat.

 

“Oh my God!” Charlie cries, as she scrambles to untangle herself from the bed sheets, no thought to her nightgown which is riding high under her breasts as she attempts to reach her daughter.

 

Bass gets there first, pulling his daughter from the confines of her great uncle's coat, showering her face with kisses as he places her in her mother's arms.

 

“Thank you, Miles,” Charlie sobs holding out a hand as she rocks her child, Bass holding them close.

 

Miles takes her hand, bending to kiss her head along with Indy’s, who’s more interested in her blanket and Mutt than she is with her mother's hysterics.  

 

“Have I ever broken my promise to you?” he asks roughly, causing Charlie to shake her head vehemently.

 

“Never,” she whispers, kissing the back of his hand.

 

He gives her hand a squeeze, “I need to steal Bass for a minute.”

 

Charlie nods and lifts her face to Bass, who presses a kiss against her lips, before smoothing a hand over his daughter's curls.

 

They've reached the door when Danny comes racing down the hall bursting in between the two men. “Charlie?” he asks, breathing heavily, his eyes going glassy when he see’s his niece in his sister's arms.

 

Bass and Miles move out into the hallway where they can’t be overheard. Bass waits patiently as Miles gathers his thoughts and digs something from his pocket handing it to Bass.

 

Bass eyes Miles and then the pouch, tugging at the strings to pull it open. His eyes go wide at the three pendants laying inside, looking back at Miles.

 

“Rachel's the one that took her.” Miles spits out turning his back to the open doorway.

 

Bass watches his brother-in-law who’s tossing Indy into the air causing her to giggle. “Danny knew. Did he help her?”

 

“He saw her as she made her escape and came to me as soon as I got here. He’s been torn up over the fact that she was willing to use Indy as a hostage to gain his and Charlie’s release.”

 

Bass looked at Miles in confusion. “What? He’s never been a prisoner here. Neither of them have.”

 

“Rachel thought differently. She thought that they were both hostages. She had no idea that Indy was her granddaughter. She thought that if she offered to turn over Indy and the necklaces that we’d turn her kids over to her.”

 

“And?” Bass asks, his eyes hooded as his blood boils at the woman's audacity to kidnap his child, regardless of who her mother is.

 

Miles exhales loudly, his shoulders slightly slumping as he clutches at something in his hand. “Rachel is no longer a threat to this family.”

 

Bass meets his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Not as much as I am,” Miles replies sadly. “As far as I’m concerned, Charlie never needs to know that her own mother was behind this.”

 

Bass reaches out to embrace his oldest friend. “Agreed. And Miles, thank you.”

 

Miles nods, his hands on his hips as he attempts to regain his composure.

 

“I don’t know about you, but I need a drink.” Miles says wrapping his arm around Danny’s shoulder when he appears by his side, guiding him down the stairs.

 

Back in his room, Bass stokes up the fire before climbing into bed with his wife and their sleepy daughter who’s happily ensconced under the covers next to her mother with her favorite blanket and stuffed animal.

 

Her parents watch as her eyes finally droop close and she gives up the fight.

 

Bass reaches for Charlie, scooting up the bed so that he’s able to cuddle with both his girls, pressing his lips softly against his wife's. “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” she whispers, burying her face in his neck.

 

Bass looks out the window to see snow falling in his city once again. This time though, the sight brings a smile. It’s Christmas day and he has a real life miracle drooling against his chest. Burying his nose in his wife's hair, he relaxes into his pillow and counts his blessings.

 


End file.
